End-gate.



No. 682,6l0. Patented Sept. I7, I90I. G. W. GIFFGRD.

END GATE.

(Application led June 8, 1901.) (No Model.) t 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 682,6lo. Pafenfedse'pt. I7, 190|.

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END GATE.

(Application iled June 8, 1901.)

(lo Model.) 2 Sheets-Shee 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT Omen.

GEORGE W. GIFFORD, OF KINSLEY, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HARRY LINN READ, OF SAME PLACE.

END-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 682,610, dated September 17, 1901.

Application filed June 8, 1901.

To @ZZ whom it' may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. GIFFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kinsley, in the county of Edwards and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful End- Gate, of which the following is a specification. The invention relates to improvements in end-gates. One object of the present invention is to improve the construction of end-gates and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device capable of securely locking an endgate in position on a Wagon-body and adapted to prevent the sides of the wagon-body from spreading'when subjected to a heavy strain and the end-gate from jumping up and down when the wagon is traveling over rough roads.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will preventloss of grain or other material and which will enable an end-gate to be readily placed in and removed from a Wagon-body.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of Yparts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims heretoappended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an end-gate constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view illustrating the construction of the locking mechanism. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the links. Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating the construction of the ends of the sliding bars. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a portion of one of the catches. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the bracket. Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a modification of the invention. Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view of the same, the sliding bars being in engagement with the catches. Fig. 10 is a similar view, the sliding bars being extended. Fig. 11 is a detail view of the cam. Fig. 12 is a similar view of one of the catches.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the iigures of the drawings.

1 and 2 designate approximately U-shaped sliding bars mounted in suitable guides 3 of an end-gate land having heads 4 at the termi- Serial No. 63,7181. (No model.)

nals of their upper and lower sides for engaging the sides '5 of a Wagon-body, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings. The guides, which may be constructed in any suitable manner, may be advantageously constructed of metal bars secured to the outer face of the end-gate, as

clearly shown in Fig. 2, and bent outward between their ends to receive the upper and lower sides of the sliding bars. The sides 5 of the wagon-body are provided with upper and lower slots 6 for the reception of the ends of the sliding bars, and they are provided also with upper and lower catches consisting of hooks '7, arranged in pairs to receive the ends of the sliding bars and provided with suitable shoulders for engaging the heads 4. The sliding bars are adapted to be distended to enable them to be placed in and removed from the spaces between the hooks, and they are adapted to be drawn inward by the means hereinafter described to engage the heads 4 with the shoulders. The heads 4 consist of laterally-projecting arms or lugs which form approximately T-shaped ends, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 50E the drawings. The catches are formed integral with vertical bars 8, and the latter are supported by curved braces 9 and are provided with reduced lower ends 10, which are threaded for the reception of nuts' 11. The lower threaded ends of the bars S extend through the bottom 12 of the wagon-body and through a bottom cleat 13, and the said bars and the substantially semicircular braces 9 are perforated for the reception of screws or other suitable fastening devices for securing them to the sides of the wagon-body. By this construction the sides of the wagon-body are reinforced at the rear ends, where they are connected with the en dgate 14, and the latter is securely interlocked with the said sides, so that there is no liability of the end-gate jumping up or down or the sides spreading, and there will be no loss of grain or other material from such causes.

The U-shaped sliding bars are provided at their bends or inner portions with ears 15 and 16, arranged in pairs and perforated for the reception of pivots 17 and 18 for connecting them to the outer ends` of links 19 and 20. The inner ends of the links 19 and 2O are se- IOO cured by pivots 2l and 22 in a bifurcation 23 of an operating-lever 24, which is fulcrumed between the said pivots :2l and 22. The operating-lever is perforated for the reception of a pivot and is arranged between a pair of arms 25 of a bracket 26, and it is adapted to be oscillated to reciprocate the sliding bars l and 2. The bracket is secured to the inner face of the end-gate and the arms extend through an opening of the same; but the bracket may be mounted in any other suitable manner. The outer portion of the operating-lever is adapted to be swung to and from the end-gate, and it is provided at its outer end with a handle or grip. The link 20 is provided at its outer end with an arm 27, forming a keeper, and adapted to extend through an opening 28 of the lever and to be engaged by a pivoted latch 29, whereby the lever is securely locked in lthe position shown in Fig. 1. The link is also provided with a resilient catch 30, having a beveled head and adapted to extend through the opening 28 and engage the outer edge of the operating-lever. IVhen the operating-lever is swung inward to the position shown in Fig. l, it is automatically engaged by the resilient catch, which is arranged parallel with the arm or keeper 27. The slot or bifurcation of the inner end of the operating-lever receives the inner portions of the links when the end-gate is locked.

In Figs. 8 to l2, inclusive, is illustrated a modification of the invention, in which the sliding U-shaped bars 3l are provided with innerjarms or shanks 32, arranged in a groove 34 of the end-gate 35 and terminating in lugs or projections 36, which engage cam-grooves 37 of an oscillatory cam or shaft 38. The cam or shaft 38 is provided at its ends with suitable journals 39, which are arranged in bearings of brackets 40, secured to the outer face of the end-gate and provided at their inner edges with recesses to receive the shanks or arms of the U-shaped bars. The cam or shaft is adapted to be partially rotated, and for this purpose it is provided with an arm or handle 4l, having an opening 42 adapted to receive a catch 43, mounted on the end-gate and arranged below the cam, as clearly illustrated in Fig. S. The catch consists of a resilient stem or shank secured to the end-gate and arranged horizontally and provided at its outer end with a head. When the shaft or cam is partially rotated, the cam-grooves reciprocate the sliding bars, which are mounted in suitable guides 44 of the end-gate. The guides consist of cleats provided with suitable recesses or openings and secured to the outer face of the end-gate, as shown.

The U-shaped bars are provided at their ends with heads 45, which engage upper and lower catches 46 of the sides of the wagon-l body, which are slotted, as before explained. The catches consist of hooks arranged in pairs and formed integral with plates, and the latter are provided at their inner faces with recesses 47, adapted to receive bars or cleats and designed to be applied to a wagon-body after the same has been constructed. The plates of the catches are adapted to straddle or fit oversuch cleats or bars,and they may also be readily applied to the top box of a wagonbody. Nhen the fastening device is used on a top box, a straight sliding bar may be employed instead of a U-shaped bar, and only one catch for each side will be necessary.

It will be seen that the end-gate is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it is adapted to be readily placed in and removed from a Wagon-body, and that it securely holds the sides and is eifectually held against vertical movement.

I/Vhat I claim isl. In adevice of the classdescribed,the combination with a wagon-body, of catches fixed to the sides of the wagon-body and consisting of rigid hooks arranged in. pairs and spaced apart, sliding bars extending between the hooks and provided at their outer ends with heads for engaging the same, and means for moving the bars inward and outward to en-V gage them with and disengage them from the catches, substantially as described. y

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a wagon-body, and an endgate, of the U-shaped horizontally-movable bars slidingly mounted on the end-gate' and capable of reciprocation to engage them with and disengage them from the wagon-body, and means for reciprocating the bars and for locking them in engagement with the body, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a Wagon-body, and an endgate, of the bars provided with curved braces and having upper and lower catches consisting of hooks arranged in pairs, the approximately U -shaped sliding bars provided at their ends with heads engaging the catches, and means for reciprocating the sliding bars and for locking them in engagement with the catches, substantially as described.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a wagon-body provided at opposite sides with slots, an end-gate, catches consisting of hooks arranged at opposite sides of the slots, sliding bars mounted on the endgate and having heads for engaging the hooks, and means for reciprocating the locking-bar and for holding the heads in engagement with the hooks, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a wagon-body, and an endgate, of sliding bars for engaging the wagonbody, links connected with the sliding bars, one of the links being provided with a projecting arm, a lever fulcrumed between its ends on the end-gate and connected with the inner ends of said links and adapted to swing to and from the said arms, and means for securing it to the arms, substantially as described.

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6. In a device of the class described, the l and a catch mounted on the arm and engagr` 1o combination with a wagon-body, and an ending the lever, substantially as described.- gate, of sliding bars mounted on the end-gate In testimony that I claim the foregoing as and engaging the Wagon-body, a lever fulmy own I have hereto alxed my signature in crumed between its ends, links pivoted to the the presence of two Witnesses.

lever at opposite sides of the fulcrum-point GEORGE W. GIFFORD. and connected with the sliding bars, one of Witnesses: the links being provided with an arm, a lock- GEORGE W. WATSON,

ing device for securing the lever to the arm, F. P. KETELSOM. 

